Paper fastener



3 M I A. N. HANNA ZMWM? PAPER FASTENER Filed Sept. '7, 1954 TTORNEY Patented Sept. 3, 1935 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FAPER FASTENER Atto Hanna, Newark, N. J. Application September 7, 1934, Serial No. 743,043 Claims. (01.24 453) The invention relates to paper fasteners, and more particularly to a fastener by means of which a pile of sheets of paper is bound between two metallic binder plates by means of bendable tongues carried by one binder plate and passing through holes in thepaper and the other binder plate.

In fasteners of the type to which the invention relates, the number of sheets of paper to be bound may bevaried from time to time,.andthe practice has been to providetongues of. a length to accommodate the maximum number of collated sheets with which the fastener may be used. When less thanthe maximum. number of sheets is to be boundya considerable length of the tongues is exposed and'bent down upon the top binder plate. I

Various expedients have been resorted to, to prevent the "tongues springing outwardly of the top binder plate, but an excessive length of tongue is necessary to permit the efiective' utilization of the devices employed in holding a the tongues in their. bent position andjprevent the distortion thereof in a mannertoallow the'escape of the top binder' plate and consequent loosening of the bound sheets. b

With the above conditions in mind, I have provided a fastener embodying thereinia cap or keeper, the operation of which is the sameirrespective of the length of tonguefolded upon the top binder platefl By means of this cap or keeper, the range of usefulness of the fastener, in its relation to the thickness of the collated sheets. to be bound together thereby, is greater thanwith fasteners wherein a substantial length of the tongue protruding beyond the top plate is necessary in order to co-operate withthe means used for holdaga'inst the said top binder. plate;

.With a fastener j embodying a cap or. keeper constructed and applied in the manner to. be

ing the ends of the tongues in their bent position hereinafter: described, interlocking means upon the cap and upon the top binder plate maybe pr'ovided which will prevent accidental relative movement of these parts in amanner to release the bent portion of the tongues.

g The cap or keeper is in the formof a slide of substantially the same length as "the top binder plate, so formed-as to not only give an attractive finish to the fastener while in use, but toper'mit the formationthereon of a roughened surface. to facilitate the movements ofthe capor keeper when applying it 'to, or removing it from, the'top binder plate, into or out of operative relationto the bentportions of the tongues. r

The invention consists primarily in a paper fastener embodying therein a base plate having formed integrally therewith, and extending from opposite ends thereof, bendable tongues, a *top binder plate of flat metal stock having openings 5 therethrough for the-passage of said tongues, overhung flanges along the opposite sides, thereof and one end upturned to extend across and close one endof each of the channels formed by said overhung flanges, and a cap or keeper hava of collated sheets of paper bound by means of a fastener embodying the invention, portions of the cap or keeper being broken away;

Fig.2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an, exploded view of a fastener embodying the invention; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig.2; and Fig. 5 is a section'on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. o In the accompanying drawing, I have shown at to, collated sheets secured together by means of a fastener embodying the invention; This fastener, as shown in the drawing, consists of a vbase plate H having longitudinally extending stiffening grooves 12. Between the grooves is an opening l3 by means of which the fastener, if desired, may be attached to a binder or back board shown at M, Fig. 2. Projecting from the opposite ends of the base plate H are tongues l5. This base plate is formed from a strip of soft drawing metal sothatthe tongues 15 are readily bendable to fit them to openings I6 formed in the collated sheets Ii] and to turn them downwardly to secure the sheets together. j

Co-operating with the tongues I5 in securing the sheets together is a top binding plate I! having rectangular openings l8 therethrough for the passage of the tongues prior to bending them r in the manner above described. This top binder plate is used to afiord an adequate contact area with the collated sheets about the openings I 6 and minimize likelihood of the tearing of the paper "adjacentsaid openings:

The collated sheets Ii! are clamped between the base plate It and the top binder plate l1.

Notwithstanding that the tongues are of readily bendable metal, they have a slight tendency to spring outwardly of the top binder plate 11, permitting suflicient play of said plate to develop looseness of the bound sheets. To prevent this, I provide a special form of top binder plate, adapted to co-operate with a cap or keeper, which will confine the ends of the tongues bent down upon the top binder plate.

In the production of fasteners of the type to which the invention relates, low cost is an essential factor. Such fasteners are made by means of automatic machinery operating at high speed, and the construction of the various parts must be such as to adapt the fastener to such manufacturing practices. a

The various parts of the fastener are assembled in relation to each other by the user, and the construction of the various parts should be such as to avoid distortion during packaging and transportation.

To meet the above requirements, I provide a top binder plate ill having, along the opposite side edges thereof, overhung flanges 19 forming channels for the reception of the cap or keeper, in a manner to be hereinafter described. These flanges extend along substantially the entire length of the topplate, which is greater than that of the base plate. The bottom of the top binder plate is plane. One end 28 of the binder plate i! is upturned, and the dimensions of this end are such as to extend across and close one end of each of the channels formed by the flanges ii The other end 2i of the top binder plate I! is also upturned, but the dimensions of this upturned end are such as to expose the opposite ends of the channels within said side flanges l9. i i l The cap or keeper consists of a sheet metal strip of substantially the length of the distance between the upturned ends 28 and 2! of the top binder plate, this cap or keeper having a substantially flat top 22 with the opposite sides 23 and 24 thereof bent downwardly at an angle, as shown, affording space centrally of the cap or keeper for the tongues 15, and permitting it to. be slidably connected with thetop binder plate by means of the flanges i9. 1

While the end 20 will serve as a stop to limit the movement of the cap or keeper along the top binder plate I! in one direction, it'is impossible to so form the upturned end 2! as to limit its movement in the opposite direction without interfering with the mounting of the cap or keeper upon the top binder plate.

To secure the cap or keeper against accidental movement upon the top binder plate, I provide the edges 23 and 24 thereof with depressions 25 and form upon the flanges I9, co-operating nubs 23, thus locking these two parts together when one end of the cap or keeper has engaged the upturned end 2B of the top binder plate. In the drawing, these nubs and recesses are shown as being locatednear' one end of'the cap or keeper and of the side flanges of the top binder plate. The location thereof, however, is immaterial to the invention. By forming the recesses in the edges 23 and 24, there is no interference with the free sliding movement of the cap'o'r keeper.

By using a flat top 22 in the cap or keeper, I not only provide desired spacebetween same and the bottom'of the top binder plate toa'ccommodate the tongue 15, but'provide an elevated surface which may be engaged by the thumb when imparting sliding movement to the cap or keeper.

This top surface is preferably provided with elevations or depressions 21 to afford an adequate gripping surface to facilitate the movement of the cap or keeper, and this condition may be taken advantage of to impress directly upon a prominently exposed portion of the fastener, matter indicating the orgin of the fasteners. This, however, is merely incidental to the function of the elevations or depressions as affording gripping areas as above described.

In use, a paper fastener embodying the invention is handled in the following manner:-

The separate sheets of paper are pierced to form the openings through the collated sheets Ill. The tongues l are then bent at right angles to the base plate I I in the manner shown in Fig. 3, and passed through the openings IS. The ends of the tongues, projecting beyond the top of the pile of paper sheets ID, are then passed through the openings IS in the top binder plate [1, and folded downwardly toward each other upon the portion of said plate between the side flanges I9.

The edges 23 and 24 of the cap or keeper are then fitted in the channels formed by the flanges i9, and this cap or keeper is slid along said channels to the right, as shown in the different figures of the drawing.

Substantially simultaneously with the engagement of the cap or keeper with the upturned end 20 of the top binder plate, the nubs 26 will enter the depressions 25, the engagement of the flanges 23 and 24 withsaid nubs springing the side. flanges is sufliciently to permit the nubs to enter the sockets formed by said depressions 25. The interlocking members afforded by the sockets and. nubs '25 and 2B prevent accidental movement of the cap or keeper. The upturned end 23 prevents overrunning of the cap or keeper when sliding it into position upon the top binder plate.

The elevations or depressions 21 facilitate the movementof the cap or keeper when applying it to the top binder plate, but are of the greatest advantagewhen removing said cap or keeper, when it is desired to add sheets of paper to the bound pile. The depressions 25 and nubs 26 offer considerable resistance to the sliding movement of the cap or keeper, and as to give a pleasing finish to the fastener, the cap or'keep'er is usually given a high polish, said depressions or elevations 21 are a highly desirable feature of the fastener.

The construction of the base plate, the top binder plate'and the cap or keeper is such as to permit the rapid and economical production of the three parts of the fastener.

The continuity of the side flanges l9, from end to end of the top binder plate, imparts a desired stiffness to this plate, and there is little or no liability of the collapsing of these flanges in a manner to interfere'with the mounting of a cap or keeper in relation'to the plate when packaging, shipping or using the fastener.

The ribs l2 are formed downwardly of the baseplate so as to secure the desired stiffening effect without spacing said. plate from the bottom sheetiof the pile. The'upturned end 2| is mainlyfor theipurpose of excluding dust and dirt, as'muchas possible, from the top'binder plate when bound sheets of paper are stored.

By providing a cap or'keeper of the'form herein shown and described, suflicient flexure of the ends of the tongues l5 to permit looseness of the top'binder plate is-prevented, when the length of the bent over portion of these tongues'is very 2,013,097 much less than "would be required without the use of such a cap or keeper. This permits the use of one size of fastener in binding sheets having a greater range in thickness than would otherwise be possible.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawing, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is:-

1. A paper fastener embodying therein a base plate having formed integrally therewith, and extending from opposite ends thereof, bendable tongues, a top binder plate of flat metal stock having openings therethrough for the passage of said tongues, overhung flanges along the opposite sides thereof, and one end upturned to extend across and close one end of each of the channels formed by said overhung flanges, and a cap having a substantially plane top and downwardly bent side edges adapted to enter said channels and engage said upturned end,'whereby movement of said cap in one direction is limited.

2. A paper fastener embodying therein a base V substantially plane top and downwardly bent side edges adapted to enter said channels, and engage said upturned end, whereby movement of said cap in one direction is limited and co-operating interlocking members formed upon said flanges and said side edges respectively.

3. A paper fastener embodying therein a base plate having formed integrally therewith, and extending from opposite ends thereof, bendable tongues, a top binder plate of flat metal stock having openings therethrough for the passage of said tongues, overhung flanges along the opposite sides thereof, and one end upturned to extend across and close one end of each of the channels formed by said overhung flanges, and a cap having a substantially plane top and downwardly bent side edges adapted to enter said channels and engage said upturned end, whereby movement of said cap in one direction is limited, the top of said cap having ridges therein forming a gripping area to facilitate the movement thereof.

4. A paper fastener embodying therein a base plate having formed integrally therewith, and extending from opposite ends thereof, bendable tongues, a top binder plate of flat metal stock having openings therethrough for the passage of said tongues, overhung flanges along the opposite sides thereof, one end thereof upturned to close, and the other end thereof upturned to expose, the ends of the channels formed by said overhung flanges, a cap having a substantially plane top and downwardly bent side edges adapted to enter said channels, adjacent one of said upturned ends and to engage the other upturned end, whereby movement of said cap in one direction is limited and co-operating interlocking members formed upon said flanges and said side edges respectively.

5. A paper fastener embodying therein a base plate having formed integrally therewith, and extending from opposite ends thereof, bendable tongues, a top binder plate of flat metal stock having openings therethrough for the passage of said tongues, overhung flanges along the opposite sides thereof, one end thereof upturned to close, and the other end thereof upturned to expose, the ends of the channels formed by said overhung flanges, and a cap having a substantially plane top and downwardly bent side edges adapted to enter said channels, the top of said cap having ridges therein forming a gripping area to facilitate the movement thereof.

ATTO N. HANNA. 

